Charlie Adelson sentenced to life in murder-for-hire plot
Charlie Adelson looks at jurors as his defense attorney presents closing arguments on November 6 in Tallahassee
By Olivia LaBorde, CNN
(CNN) — Charlie Adelson, a Florida man convicted in connection to the 2014 murder of his former brother-in-law, has been sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole.
In a Tallahassee courtroom on Tuesday, the 47-year-old stated, “I would just like to say that I maintain my innocence.”
Adelson, a South Florida periodontist, is the fourth person convicted in connection with the murder of Dan Markel. Markel, a law professor at Florida State University, was shot in the head at his home in 2014. At the time, he was in the midst of a bitter divorce and custody battle with Adelson’s sister, Wendi.
As CNN previously reported, Adelson testified his family offered Markel a million dollars to allow Wendi to move from Tallahassee back home to Miami with their two children.
Prosecutors allege that Adelson came up with the plan for the murder, which his then-girlfriend Katherine Magbanua planned. Luis Rivera and Sigfredo Garcia – the father of two of Magbanua’s children – carried out the murder.
Rivera testified that he was hired along with Garcia by Magbanua for $100,000 to murder Markel. Rivera testified that the money came from Adelson, whom he referred to as “The Dentist,” and it was split three ways between himself, Garcia, and Magbanua.
Adelson denied having any involvement in the plot and instead testified that the murder was carried out to extort vast sums of money from his family.
Markel’s family gave an impact statement from Canada via Zoom Tuesday. Markel’s father, Phil, spoke about his son’s children. “We have no idea of what these two boys know, or have been told about Danny’s death, ” said Phil Markel.
Adelson’s ex-girlfriend Magbanua and co-conspirators Garcia and Rivera are already serving prison time for their roles in Markel’s murder. Magbanua and Rivera testified against Adelson.
On Monday, Adelson’s 73-year-old mother Donna Adelson pleaded not guilty to charges she conspired with her son to have Markel killed. She was arrested as she and her husband tried to board a flight out to Vietnam and faces charges of first-degree murder, conspiracy, and solicitation.
During Donna Adelson’s arraignment, her attorney said that they would like to proceed with the trial promptly. The date for a case management status meeting has been set for January 9 at 2:30 p.m.
The-CNN-Wire
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